Spirit Gourd Cracks Open

Beanie was worried it might hurt the Spirit Gourd, so they often ended up fighting.

At that moment, Grace got worried they’d fight again and hurried inside after them.

As soon as she entered, she saw Cutie Pie run up to Beanie and stare at the Spirit Gourd.

"Cutie Pie, do you really like this Spirit Gourd?" Grace wondered aloud, noticing how interested it seemed.

Cutie Pie shook its head.

It wasn’t that it liked it.

It sensed that the Spirit Gourd’s dragon energy was getting stronger.

"This Spirit Gourd has grown so big," Grace said. "Since it came from the Spirit Tree, it must be special. Once it’s fully ripe, I’ll pick it and use it as a wine gourd to make medicinal wine. I bet it’ll be amazing!"

Just as she finished speaking, there was a loud "pop!"—the Spirit Gourd suddenly cracked open.

"Huh? Why did it crack?" Grace looked disappointed. "I was hoping to use it for wine, but now that’s ruined..."

Evan Xiao: "..."

Crack! The Spirit Gourd split open a little more.

Then Grace noticed there seemed to be something inside.

Curious, Grace watched as something inside began to move. Slowly, a little head poked out from the crack.

Its big round eyes were full of innocence and curiosity.

A tuft of fluffy, yellow-orange fur sat atop its head, making it look even cuter.

It was... another Antler Serpent?!

And it was the same type of Antler Serpent as Cutie Pie...

It was tiny, barely thicker than Grace’s thumb, and struggled to wriggle out of the crack.

Grace quickly reached out to catch it.

It landed right in Grace’s palm, looking a bit dazed from the fall. It shook its head, then stared wide-eyed at the world around it, eyes clear and bright but full of confusion.

"Ha... ha! An Antler Serpent actually grew out of the Spirit Gourd!" Grace was totally stunned. "And, Cutie Pie, it looks ex-act-ly like you!"

This Antler Serpent had the same color as Cutie Pie and was just as clever and adorable.

The only difference was its head fur was a little lighter, making it look even cuter than Cutie Pie.

...

Evan Xiao stared at it, completely transfixed.

This little dragon... really looked just like him.

It was exactly like him when he was little!

The little thing blinked at its surroundings, then looked up at Grace.

In that instant, it was like a baby seeing its own mother—its eyes sparkled with joy and adoration, and it rubbed its little head against her thumb...

It was honestly the cutest thing ever.

Grace’s heart practically melted from its adorableness.

...

General’s Manor.

Sophie Shang reported to Evan Xiao: "The Wan Clan is a noble family affiliated with the Phoenixborn Divine Race, and they used to be extremely close. When the Phoenix Clan fell, the Wan Clan was also nearly wiped out."

"I know about the Wan Clan," Evan Xiao said. "What about Grace Wan?"

"Grace Wan is the daughter of the Wan Clan chief, born after a drunken night with a lowly servant who had no spirit root.

She was born without a spirit root and couldn’t remain in the Wan Clan, so she was sent away. That’s how she managed to survive the disaster.

Now, she’s actually the only true survivor of the Wan Clan’s main bloodline."

"No spirit root... So Grace Wan’s spirit root was transplanted. No wonder Wendy Zhu doesn’t have a spirit root."

"Yes."

"How is Grace Wan the only true heir? Isn’t Zane Wan her uncle?"

"Zane Wan isn’t actually Grace Wan’s uncle—he was the chief bodyguard for the Wan Clan. When the clan chief was dying, he entrusted Grace Wan to Zane Wan and asked her to call him uncle."

"Keep a close eye on the Wan Clan," Evan Xiao ordered. "Report any unusual activity to me immediately."

"Yes, sir!"

Just then, Grace arrived and started calling from outside: "Evan Xiao! Evan Xiao!"

Her voice was clear and soft, and she sounded especially excited.